The Virgin and The Fool

Daphne had been contemplating the absurd concept of spending the weekend out in the middle of God knows where, doing whatever bored college students do. She had figured that was more of a spring break kind of thing, something she always skipped out on, but she was never really good at saying no to Fred and his all too cavalier plans.

As if suddenly leaving town when she had a 20,000-word junior thesis due in a week wasn't like writing out her own eulogy.

"This is a good thing Daph," Fred casually said as he watched her stuff things absentmindedly into her purple duffel bag, swatching her various shades of eyeshadow on his lids. Daph felt too stressed to say anything.

"You really need to spend a few milliseconds not thinking about that asshole Yantz." Daph sent him a glare, hoping he hadn't noticed her flinch, as she shoved a couple textbooks into the bag.

Dr. Yantz was the professor of her Business Communications class as well as an ex-lover of sorts.

Several one-on-one "tutoring" sessions lead to several dates hidden in the back corner of the campus coffee shop. And maybe a few trips back to his home.

Daphne felt like a total child for having to admit how enamored she was by the sound of his voice, regardless of what he talked about. It was almost like their late-night conversations and strokes of the palm over her knee were haunting her.

"I knew what I was getting into when I started seeing him Freddie."

She tried so hard to sound unperturbed.

Definitely too hard.

The clear raise of Fred's eyebrows said enough.

"He dumped you in an email Daph. Didn't have the stones to face you. I'm pretty sure Velma has told you plenty already but-" Daphne raised her hand to let him know she got the jist.

After the email, Yantz had altogether started ignoring her for the most part and pretending that they were never anything.

And that definitely sucked.

A lot.

Fred stared at her for a few seconds, knowing full well that her mind was back on Yantz.

Quickly, he got up from his spot on her bed and slapped both of his hands on her cheeks, effectively snapping her out of her painful trance.

"Fuck! Freddie what the hell?!"

"This right here is exactly why Velms and I are taking you out with us, to escape the memories of a gross old dude trying to suckle you and you actually not hating it." She sighed and looked away.

"Daph, we're letting you meet someone new, I mean he's no cicada obsessed lunatic with raisin hands but I really think you and Beau are gonna hit it off." He eyed her bag and groaned, "You really did not pack your $150 textbooks to read in the middle of the woods while Velma and I try to get you to finally let loose and bang an attractive dude."

Without wasting a second, he grabbed the huge books out of her bag, she let out a cry of annoyance and made a grab for his wrists.

"They're for when I get bored. And there will be no banging thank you very much."

Fred scoffed, "Speak for yourself, Velma and I are gonna make this weekend full of naked entanglement."

"It better be quiet."

"No promises." Fred winked as he placed the books back on her tiny shelf.

Daphne let out a deep sigh as she decided to just leave the books here, it wouldn't be too bad for her to just be by herself, alone with her thoughts.